DentistryOnline courseGnathology
Frank Spear on occlusion today — MIP risk, wear patterns, CR records and joint loading in 35 lessons
Restorative educator Frank Spear uses Modern Occlusion: Concepts, Diagnostics & Clinical Strategies to test classic occlusal beliefs against current literature and turn the result into chairside decisions. Six modules and 35 lessons, 8 h 4 min in all, deal with compromised occlusions, bruxism and apnea, stability of maximum intercuspation, guidance schemes, wear diagnosis, the tripod concept, articulator mounting, facebow transfer, centric relation records and force distribution in the TMJ.
- 6modules
- 35lessons
- 8 h 4 minof video
What you’ll be able to do
- Judge the risk and stability of MIP and measure shift before restoring
- Read wear patterns — pathway, end-to-end, crossover and retruded — and link them to cause
- Tell attrition from apnea-related bruxism and adjust the plan accordingly
- Use the tripod concept to build a new intercuspal position from centric relation
- Take reliable CR records with bimanual manipulation, a leaf gauge or a Lucia jig
- Relate joint stage and loading to occlusion and to why some patients hurt
Inside the course
Compromised cases and the evidence
An 80-minute session on managing compromised occlusion opens the course, followed by a critical look at occlusal philosophies over the decades, what research now says about guidance and muscle activity, and where apnea does and doesn’t explain tooth wear.
Occlusion in everyday restorative work
Spear shows how one restoration can destabilise MIP, compares group function with canine guidance, and classifies common wear types. He then explains how to create intercuspation, how normal and abnormal joints differ and how occlusion loads the joint.
Models, mounting and records
The longest module, over two hours, weighs unmounted models against semi-adjustable articulators mounted in MIP or CR, explains functional analysis, and uses the facebow for both functional and esthetic transfer, before three CR recording methods.
A fresh view of forces and joints
The final module follows forces at tooth and joint level and outlines four TMJ stages and three typical presentations.
Built for
- Restorative dentists planning multiple unitsProtects the bite you inherit, or builds a new one on purpose.
- ProsthodontistsAn evidence-updated review of mounting, CR and guidance choices.
- Dentists treating worn dentitionsWear diagnosis lessons that point to the likely cause.
Curriculum
Module 1. Managing compromised occlusion (1 h 20 min) 1 lesson
- Managing compromised occlusion
Module 2. Occlusal Concepts & Philosophies: Current Knowledge vs. Classic Beliefs (1 h 22 min) 5 lessons
- Critical Questions About Occlusion
- Occlusal Philosophies Through the Years
- Occlusal Guidance & Muscle Activity: Classic vs. Current Literature
- Apnea, Attrition & Bruxism Connections
- Attrition & Bruxism: It’s Not Always Apnea
Module 3. Managing Occlusion in Clinical Practice (1 h 18 min) 7 lessons
- Occlusal Positions & Risk Assessment in MIP
- Destabilizing MIP with a Single Restoration
- Measuring Shift to Assess Stability
- Group Function vs. Canine Guidance
- Pathway Wear
- End-to-End & Crossover Wear
- Wear Retruded to MIP
Module 4. Factors in Establishing Maximum Intercuspation (MIP) (1 h 16 min) 5 lessons
- Creating Intercuspal Position
- Centric Relation & the Tripod Concept
- Using the Tripod Concept to Establish New MIP
- Normal vs. Abnormal Joint Anatomy
- Occlusion & Joint Loading
Module 5. Using Models to Evaluate and Treatment Plan Occlusal Issues (2 h 14 min) 11 lessons
- Benefits and Limitations of Unmounted Models
- Using a Semi-Adjustable Articulator with MIP Mounting
- The Value of a Semi-Adjustable Articulator and CR Mounting
- The Concept of a Functional Analysis
- Using a Facebow to Transfer Functional Information
- Using a Facebow to Transfer Esthetic Information
- Centric Relation for Functional Analysis
- Positioning Condyles in a Fully Seated Position, CR
- CR Records Using Bimanual Manipulation and Wax
- CR Records Using a Leaf Gauge and Silicone
- CR Records Using a Lucia Jig and Silicone
Module 6. A New Perspective on Occlusion (39 min) 6 lessons
- Force Distribution at the Tooth Level
- Force Distribution at the Joint Level
- The Four Stages of TM Joints
- Three Main Clinical Presentations of TM Joints
- The Connection Between the TM Joint and Occlusion
- Pain: Why Some Patients Have It
Before you buy
Does it teach one fixed occlusal philosophy?
No — Spear compares philosophies against newer research and focuses on risk assessment, so the approach suits clinicians from different schools.
Is TMD treatment covered in depth?
Joint anatomy, loading, stages and pain are discussed as they relate to occlusion, but appliance therapy and pain management are not the focus.
Do I get CME credit or a certificate?
No. Clinicapedia provides the educational content only — no CME or CE credits, MOC points or certificates of completion are included with this product.
Specifications
| Format | Online video course |
|---|---|
| Instructor | Frank Spear |
| Contents | 6 modules · 35 lessons |
| Duration | 8 h 4 min |
| Access | Lifetime, self-paced |
| Department | Dentistry |
| Delivery | Instant download · lifetime re-download |
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